Improved device for opening fruit-cans



` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVED DEVICE FOR OPENING FRUIT-CANS.

4 Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 54,929, dated May 22, 1866.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM W. LYMAN, of West Meriden, county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Device for- Opening FruitJars 5' and I do hereby declare that the salneis described and represented in the following .specification and drawings, so as to enable others skilled to make and use therefrom.

Letters of reference marked thereon indicate like parts in each of the figures.

Thenature of this improvement will be understood from the specification and drawings.

The object desired to be attained thereby is to remove the heretofore existing difficulty of lifting the cover from fruit-jars when desired, where arubber ring or packing intervenes between it and the rim of its cover, and render it easy to be accomplished.

First, it consists in makinga yoke or bridge of a proper form or shape as to encompass the cover and take bearing each side thereof upon the neck or shoulder ofthe jar.

Second, it consists of a rigid orjointed hooklever, the hook of which takes hold of the under edge of the cover, while the lever bears or'takes its purchase on the yoke or bridge directly over the cover, and while in this position, the jar being held firmly and the lever pressed carefully downward, the cover will be quickly and easily removed.

In the accompanying drawing, a is the jar. b is the cover. c is the rubber or elastic band, as nowin common use for preserving fruit. d is a bridge or yoke, which passes over the top of the cover and down each side thereof and takes bearing upon the neck or shoulder of the jar, the object of which is to provide a snitable support or bearing upon which the lever may work. e is the hook-lever, made either in one or two parts, rigid or adjustable.

It will be readily seen that this yoke or bridge and hooklever may be made in various forms and shapes, so as to produce the same result in the same way. It is not therefore deemed necessary to enter the particular description of their construction as here shown, because a person skilled in the art can readily 'see and understand from the specification and drawing h ow this improvement can be effected.

I believe I have thus shown the nature, construction, and operation of this improvement, so as to enable others to make and use the same.

What claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y Fulcrum bridge or yoke el and lifting-lever e, substantially as and for the purpose as described. y I

WM. W. LYMAN. [L. sj] Witnesses:

ORVILLE H. PLATT, GEORGE A. FREY. 

